PROVIDENCE, R.I. — The red-green-black-white Palestinian flag flew in front of the federal courthouse on Kennedy Plaza Friday as about 30 demonstrators protested the Israeli military campaign against rocket-firing terrorists in the Gaza Strip.

Comment

By
Thomas J. Morgan
Posted Aug. 1, 2014 @ 10:22 pm

PROVIDENCE, R.I. — The red-green-black-white Palestinian flag flew in front of the federal courthouse on Kennedy Plaza Friday as about 30 demonstrators protested the Israeli military campaign against rocket-firing terrorists in the Gaza Strip.

They carried placards, some of which read, “Stop the attack on Gaza,” “Stop bombing Gaza — end the siege,” “Free Gaza,” and “collective punishment of 1.5 million people is collective punishment.” They had selected a post with limited visibility. They faced the site of the Kennedy Plaza reconstruction, which is fenced off, and heavy downtown traffic further shielded them.

Most were middle-age or elderly. There were few young people and only a couple of children, including one in a stroller.

Ellie Wyatt of the Coalition to Defend Education handed out fliers printed by the American Friends Service Committee that accused Israel of having a policy of collective punishment, of attacking Palestinian unity and of employing racism — although the fliers did not explain which race or races were involved.

“I am an American citizen who is appalled,” Wyatt said as she gave out the sheets to occasional passersby. “The United States is giving material support for schools to Israel, and Israel is leveling Palestine.”

She said that many of the demonstrators were from organizations other than the American Friends Service Committee.

One of the demonstrators, Ronald Lewis, said he represented Watermyn, a co-op on the East Side. When asked what brought him to the demonstration, he replied, “I want to stand in solidarity with the Palestinian people and speak out against the siege and the oppression.”